When to Plant Radishes
Sow radishes outside from 5 weeks before to 1 week after your last frost, and again 4 to 7 weeks before your first fall frost for a fall crop.
Radishes at a glance
- Sow outside
- from 5 weeks before to 1 week after your last frost
- Fall sowing
- 4 to 7 weeks before your first fall frost
- Time to harvest
- 25 to 30 days from sowing
- Harvest lasts
- about 3 weeks
- Spacing
- 16 per square foot
- Frost
- Takes hard frosts
Growing radishes
Radishes are the quickest root crop: sow them half an inch deep in cool weather and pull them in about a month. A short row every week or two keeps a steady supply without a glut.
Dates by hardiness zone
Typical dates for each zone; your ZIP code gives your own.
| Zone | Sow | Sow for fall | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3a | Apr 23 – Jun 4 | Jul 27 – Aug 17 | May 18 – Jul 4 · Aug 21 – Sep 16 |
| Zone 3b | Apr 12 – May 24 | Aug 7–28 | May 7 – Jun 23 · Sep 1–27 |
| Zone 4a | Apr 7 – May 19 | Aug 10–31 | May 2 – Jun 18 · Sep 4–30 |
| Zone 4b | Apr 3 – May 15 | Aug 13 – Sep 3 | Apr 28 – Jun 14 · Sep 7 – Oct 3 |
| Zone 5a | Mar 29 – May 10 | Aug 17 – Sep 7 | Apr 23 – Jun 9 · Sep 11 – Oct 7 |
| Zone 5b | Mar 27 – May 8 | Aug 22 – Sep 12 | Apr 21 – Jun 7 · Sep 16 – Oct 12 |
| Zone 6a | Mar 25 – May 6 | Aug 28 – Sep 18 | Apr 19 – Jun 5 · Sep 22 – Oct 18 |
| Zone 6b | Mar 19 – Apr 30 | Sep 3–24 | Apr 13 – May 30 · Sep 28 – Oct 24 |
| Zone 7a | Mar 12 – Apr 23 | Sep 6–27 | Apr 6 – May 23 · Oct 1–27 |
| Zone 7b | Mar 1 – Apr 12 | Sep 13 – Oct 4 | Mar 26 – May 12 · Oct 8 – Nov 3 |
| Zone 8a | Feb 22 – Apr 5 | Sep 19 – Oct 10 | Mar 19 – May 5 · Oct 14 – Nov 9 |
| Zone 8b | Feb 10 – Mar 24 | Sep 25 – Oct 16 | Mar 7 – Apr 23 · Oct 20 – Nov 15 |
| Zone 9a | Jan 26 – Mar 9 | Oct 8–29 | Feb 20 – Apr 8 · Nov 2–28 |
| Zone 9b | Dec 28 – Feb 8 | Oct 27 – Nov 17 | Jan 22 – Mar 10 · Nov 21 – Dec 17 |
| Zone 10a | Dec 20 – Jan 31 | Nov 8–29 | Jan 14 – Mar 2 · Dec 3–29 |
| Zones 10b–11b | Frost is rare here, so grow radishes in the cooler months, from fall to early spring. | ||
Questions about radishes
Why are my radishes all leaves and no root?
Crowding, too little sun or warm weather. Thin them so each has room, give them full sun, and grow them in the cool weeks of spring and fall.
What kinds of radishes are there?
Round red spring radishes are the quickest. Long white daikon and colorful winter radishes grow bigger and slower, and are sown in late summer for fall.
